A spokesman for the Department of Health of the Hong Kong government said in the 24 hours to noon on Thursday, 35 people were required to undergo testing for influenza A/H1N1.

Four of them tested negative for the new flu strain while laboratory results of the remaining 31 are still pending, according to the spokesman.

So far, a total of 273 cases have been reported to the Center of Health Protection for the new flu testing. Among them, 229 tested negative.

Up to 4:00 PM on Thursday, the center's hotline had received 2,839 calls since it was set up on April 30.